Three months after starting their build out of the former Hinds Restaurant, New York’s Fatty Crab is nearing its completion of the restaurant’s transformation.

Colorful trim and trademark crab flags are already in place on the street side and the inside looks like it will be just a festive.

No word on an exact opening date, but the owners are interviewing for staff now, so it’s safe to say Soon Come.

Like an efficient group of wild dogs, things run better in packs.  And so that’s the new approach of the St. John Animal Care Center.

The ACC, which nearly went belly up last fall, drew quite a crowd to its annual meeting this week, and made some significant changes…to its board, it’s mission and it’s structure.

You can read details of the meeting and the decisions made, in this release provided by the ACC’s Jennifer Dale.

Meet Ziggy, an 8 month old potbelly pig living on St. John. Ziggy is always popular when he gets walked through Cruz Bay, with people asking to have their pictures taken with him, so Ziggy thought he’d use his popularity to raise a little money for the upcoming American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

Please note his jacket. It says “BACON,” or “Battle Against Cancer ON St. John.”

During Wednesday’s big Blues Cruise crowd, Ziggy posed with many people for a couple of bucks a pop, and before you know it, the pig had raised $150!

Ziggy now goes by his new nickname: Philanthropig.

The Rhythm and Blues Cruise descended on St. John for daylong events from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay and even to the schools.  Singers were singing. Better yet, cash registers were ringing!

“What a fun time it was here yesterday. Lots of smiling faces from Cruise guests and residents,” says Capt. John Brandi. “Tourism did a great job, the Banner worked.”

Cruz Bay was busy as a bee’s hive Tuesday, with sidewalks being hosed down and curbs being painted and banners being hung…all in advance of today’s visit by the Rhythm and Blues Cruise. Today will be a HUGE day for sure, but…

We’re welcoming hundreds of visiting musicians and passengers from a cruise ship to Cruz Bay with a banner that tells them we have to be reminded to be nice to tourists?

It frankly is a much-needed internal training campaign for the Tourism Department, but is it just us, or is this kind of a dumb way to welcome guests?

Cruz Bay is spit and polished clean for the arriving visitors. Now remember…you be nice to them.

Fire can’t keep a good pate down.

Hercules Pate’ Delight, which was gutted by fire in August, is rebuilding.

Arthur Hercules has been dishing up his fried pastries stuffed with seafood or meat at his Cruz Bay location for 25 years. Reopening soon come.

Some of St. John’s top chefs will come together to transform the Winston Wells field into an open air, gourmet restaurant for one night.

But getting a seat at one of the tables is by invitation only, and it’s only for special group of guests.

“The dinner is for anyone who has ever heard the words ‘You have cancer,’” says Mary Bartolucci, lead organizer for St. John’s first ever Relay for Life, the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society.

Cancer survivors and a guest are invited to the five star candlelight dinner on February 19 at 6 p.m.

The free, four course dinner is sponsored by Merchants Commercial Bank, ZoZo’s, The Waterfront Bistro, La Tapa, La Plancha del Mar, Ted’s Supper Club and Mathayom Private Chefs. For reservations, call 776-6833 or 776-6944.

Meet Rhode Island transplants Ken Schadegg and Rob Upham, two guys who gave up careers in Providence to start a new life on St. John.

Ken and Rob raised a few eyebrows when they said they planned to open a pet boutique on St. John, but these guys did their homework and since opening their doors a few weeks ago, business has been great.

St. Johnimals carries everything from inexpensive collars that say St. John on them, to very expensive leather doggie jackets, to high quality pet food and snacks. And in these first few weeks, they have found a following with both visitors and locals alike.

Take a tour of St. Johnimals, below. (And when you visit, have your picture taken with the mannequin!)

From Doug Miller’s collection, a photo titled Peasant Home, and dated 1920.  It’s a fixer-upper but you can’t beat the view. Any guesses as to where on St. Thomas this is?

Below, a U.S. Marine Corps Christmas feast on St. Thomas, dated 1918.

Make room on your counter for another locally-produced hot sauce. Woody’s is in the game.

Their hot wings have been favorites for a long time, and now they’re bottling that very sauce.

“Customers have been asking for the sauce as a side for other things they order, and it has become so popular that we decided it was good enough to sell,” says Woody’s manager Dawn Burgess. “It’s hot! But the added Cajun seasoning gives it more flavor, rather than just being hot.”

“Woody’s Hot Sauce is delicious. Great heat with a pleasant lingering flavor,” says Ruth Ernst from St. John Spice, which now carries it.  “We love the Woody’s folks and we are proud to offer this in our family of local hot sauces.”

Woody’s isn’t outsourcing its production either. “The recipe belongs to our very own Dan, and we’re making it right here in our kitchen,” Dawn says.

And they’re not stopping at hot sauce. A Woody’s BBQ sauce is coming soon.

The St. John Market across from the Westin has been open for a year and a half now, but it’s deli counter area has remained an empty space. Until now.

It appears they’re finally getting ready to open the deli counter and, by the looks of it, include fresh meat.

We really like this store, but the availability steaks and chicken has been hit and miss. The store’s strong suit has been produce, and it has a healthy supply of staples, beverages, frozen goods and lots of wine. And parking!

A deli is exactly what it’s missing. Glad to see it looks like one is coming.

Your thoughts on the St. John Market store?

Somebody, or as is the case this year, apparently several somebodies, are again being very generous to the Gifft Hill School.

The private school has announced its second annual Seeds for Success fundraiser, backed by generous and anonymous supporters who will match donations made to the school to as much as 9-to-1. That’s NINE-TO-ONE.

Gifft Hill School is a great school, but it is also an expensive school, and a large portion of its students can attend only because of subsidized tuition. The deadline for contributing is January 31.

You can read more details, and see how to donate, here.